Donbass

Alexander Chekmenev is the Ukrainian photographer who
recently received public notice at home as well as abroad. He is a winner of
the European competition of documentary photography Vevey in Switzerland for
his series Ukrainian Passport. In 2013, his book Donbass became a selected
title of the German Photo Books Award. He also received the title Ukrainian
Photographer of the Year 2013. He has exhibited in various galleries in Europe and
recently his work received attention by galleries in North America. Chekmenev
works as a photojournalist for the daily Vseukrainskiye Vedomosti. In his
independent work, he focuses on a social documentary photography, mainly
documenting the society in Ea stern Ukraine where he comes from. A human in his
natural environment, often on a street, is in the center of his attention. His
photographs reflect inspiration by the classical documentary aesthetics, such as that
by Robert Frank, Robert Doisneau or August Sander. Chekmenev is attracted by
exceptional characters, sometimes even comic in their expression or in the
situation they find themselves in. Another time they arouse respect. In accordance
with the humanistic message of great photojournalist of the past, he depicts
them with the dignity they deserve. Along with the kind snapshots and portraits
(Easter 1994-2013, Flea Market 2003-2013, Street People Lugansk 1994-1999, People 1993-2014)
which are to document character and atmosphere of places for future, his
photographs also ac t as a social criticism (War in Donbass 2014, War-Torn
2014) or reportage (Evromajdan 2014). The project that stands out is Passport
(1994-1995), a side product of a commissioned work. After the collapse of the
Soviet Union and the establishment of independent Ukraine, all citizens
received a new ID – passport. To paralyzed and immobile people, a photographer
was sent. He stretched a white canvas behind their heads and took a picture of
a standard passport format. The whole situation was so absurd – even the
portrayed themselves did not understand what the use of the passport was as
they would obviously never leave their houses – that it literary invited to capture
the scene of pictures taking. The images speak for themselves.

The
project Donbass, which probably received the most international attention thanks
to the book, represents the long-term systematic documenting, aiming for an as
complex message as possible. Chekmenev decides between black-and-white and
color photography according to the character of a particular project. In the
mining environment, nowadays experiencing a decline, this limited color scale
from white to black carries also a particular meaning. It completes an image of
hardship. However, the series does not seem depressive or melancholic. Honesty
of Chekmenev’s message dwells in his perfect understanding of the environment
and ability to pass it to the viewer. It encompasses the whole spectrum of this
alternative even bizarre life with own rules where coal is the main currency
and hard work regains its respect. People on his pictures live their everyday lives
with everything it brings. They work, rest, eat, wash themselves, party. The
depicted atmosphere ranges from meditativeness of the Doisneau-kind to the
hilarity of Weegee. The whole series reflects a distinctive poeticallure thanks
to refine scene framing and thorough compositions.

A person willing to survive is able to labour as well
as to enjoy his life.

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